Acer Veriton X4680g vs. Dell OptiPlex 9020M

Comparison and Differences

Acer_Veriton_X4680g.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_9020M.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen11 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; CeleronIntel Gen4 i3/i5/i7;
ChipsetB560Q87
Dedicated GPU *Radeon RX 6400 Low ProfileN.A.
RAMUDIMM DDR4-2933SODIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots42
RAM speed2933 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max128 GB16 GB
USB ports(2x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (2x) USB-A 3.1(6x) USB-A 3.0
Video portsDisplayPort 1.4; HDMI 2.0; VGADisplayPort 1.2; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; (2x) Mic, Speaker; Line in; Line out; PS/2 ports; SerialRJ45; Headset; Mic/Hdph;
Optional portsSerial; Parallel; Card readerWiFi antenna; HDMI; DisplayPort; Serial; Serial+PS2;
SATA ports41
PCI slotsPCIe 4.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1N.A.
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); M.2 2280 B-Key (SATA only);
Drive bays3.5in; 5.25 inch slim2.5in
PSU180/300 W65 W
Weight5.00 kg (11.02 lb)1.28 kg (2.82 lb)
Released20212013
Manuallinklink
Price**Check PriceCheck Price

** As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
* Dedicated GPU warning: Check if your particular power supply model has enough power. Additionally some PSUs don't come with an auxiliary PCIe power connector and you may need to buy a SATA to PCIe power adapter.

Differences between Acer Veriton X4680g and Dell OptiPlex 9020M

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Acer Veriton X4680g which was released in 2021. The Dell OptiPlex 9020M is older and entered production in 2013.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 9020M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Acer Veriton X4680g and will fit more easily under your desk.

Processor

Usually the newer the generation of the CPU, the better the performance and efficiency is. If your budget allows it, you should go with the Acer Veriton X4680g as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 9020M is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Acer Veriton X4680g has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 9020M has only 2 slot(s). This is not something to worry about. Just make sure you take it into consideration when planning how much RAM you are going to use.

The Acer Veriton X4680g is using the faster 2933 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 9020M is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1600 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Acer Veriton X4680g as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 9020M can do a bit less at max 16 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Acer Veriton X4680g has 10 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 9020M is inferior in this regard and packs 6 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Acer Veriton X4680g, is that it has 2 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 9020M has no such port, thus restricting your transfer speeds significantly. For people who want to use external drives on regular basis, this might be an issue.

The DisplayPort is usually the more popular video port used with desktops and laptops, while the HDMI is used predominantly in consumer electronics. That's why, it is good to see that both of the models come with a DisplayPort.

The Acer Veriton X4680g comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 9020M does not support the interface. Of course missing HDMI port is something that can be easily fixed with a good adapter (e.g. DisplayPort to HDMI).

SATA ports are placed on the system board and it is where you connect your HDD, SSD and Optical Disk Drives. More SATA slots will allow you to have more drives running at the same time. In this regard the Acer Veriton X4680g is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 9020M has 1 slot(s).

When your goal is to have the fastest SSD transfer speeds, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, it is good that both models have M.2 SSD slots. Today M.2 SSDs are not much more expensive than the average SATA drives, so it really does not make sense to invest in SATA drives anymore.

Make sure that the available M.2 slot supports the PCIe (also called NVMe) interface. This is important as there are M.2 slots which support only the inferior SATA III interface. For comparison, the SATA III interface has max speeds of 6Gb/s, while the PCIe 3.0 x4 will support speeds up to 32Gb/s!

Power Supply

Having a Power Supply Unit with high power rating is important, if you are going to use components which require extra power. The Dell OptiPlex 9020M comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the Acer Veriton X4680g has a more powerful one rated at 300 Watts. Choosing either one depends on your specific requirements and use case. Also don't forget that some models might have more than one PSU option - try to always get the most powerful one, especially if you plan to upgrade to a powerful GPU.

Motherboard

Acer_Veriton_X4680g_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_9020M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout